It's not Pasadena, but Spartans will take matchup with Bama

Michigan State tight end Charlie Gantt, center, comes down with a touchdown pass in front of Penn State defender Drew Astorino (28) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa., Nov. 27, 2010. Michigan State won 28-22.

The Associated Press

By Tommy DeasExecutive Sports Editor

Published: Monday, December 6, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, December 5, 2010 at 11:36 p.m.

In the big picture, the Michigan State Spartans are exactly where they want to be. Michigan State claimed a share of the Big Ten title, finishing 11-1 to share the league crown with Ohio State and Wisconsin, marking the school's first conference championship since 1990.

In a more immediate sense, the seventh-ranked Spartans won't be playing exactly where they want to be playing on Jan. 1. Wisconsin, a team Michigan State defeated, won the league's berth in the Rose Bowl by finishing higher in the Bowl Championship Series ratings. So instead of playing in Pasadena, Calif., the Spartans will be facing No. 15 Alabama in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

“We're very, very excited about the opportunity to represent the Big Ten as the conference champion in the Capital One Bowl against Alabama,” said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio on a teleconference Sunday. “Really for four years since coming into this program we've talked about becoming champions, and we are now to that point.

“We need to take the next step, and that next step is to play in a marquee game such as this and win that football game.”

Michigan State finished 6-7 last season, capped by a loss to Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl. The Spartans rolled through their 2010 schedule, defeating Notre Dame in overtime and notching wins over Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin. The lone loss came at the end of October at Iowa, by a 37-6 margin.

Dantonio, the Big Ten Coach of the Year for 2010, isn't worried that his team will be longing for Pasadena.

“We've come a long way,” Dantonio said. “We've had a storybook-type season. We've fought through some adversity, won some close games, we've come back, so we've done a lot of different things. We're an 11-1 football team, so where that takes us we'll go. The thing we want to make sure we understand as a football program is our No. 1 goal is to win the Big Ten championship. We were able to accomplish that.

“I feel like we're playing a championship-caliber football team. I feel like this is going to be a great matchup that's going to turn on TV sets all over the country.”

Dantonio, who coached under Alabama coach Nick Saban when Saban was head coach at Michigan State, doesn't sound daunted by the prospect of playing the defending national champion Crimson Tide, which comes in with a 9-3 record.

“I don't worry about the three games they lost,” Dantonio said. “I just hope we can make it four.

“Our players are very, very excited about this. ... This is a great challenge for our football team. This will be a national matchup.”

Dantonio and Saban have remained close. Dantonio has spoken at Alabama's coaching clinic, and Saban called the Michigan State coach in his hospital room after Dantonio suffered a heart attack following the overtime victory over Notre Dame in September.

“I talked to him when he had a little health issue at whatever point that was in the season,” Saban said. “He's a good friend, did a marvelous job for us (on Saban's staff at Michigan State) and has a wonderful family. ... It's just one of those colleagues in coaching that you have a tremendous amount of respect for.”

Dantonio missed one game after the coronary and another -- the victory over Wisconsin -- due to a blood clot, but was back on the sideline when Michigan State beat rival Michigan on Oct. 9. He said he is exercising and back on the recruiting trail.

“I eased myself in gradually,” he said. “My health is good.”

Dantonio and Michigan State aren't new to the Capital One Bowl. The Spartans played there at the end of the 2008 season, losing to Georgia 24-12 to finish 9-4.

“I think when we show up it's going to be like putting the key in the front door of your house, opening it up and very comfortable walking in,” Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. “We know the practice facilities, we're excited that we're the home team and very much looking forward to it.

“We brought 25,000 estimated fans down there two years ago, and we would anticipate that we're going to have numbers that equal or rival that this year.”

<p>In the big picture, the Michigan State Spartans are exactly where they want to be. Michigan State claimed a share of the Big Ten title, finishing 11-1 to share the league crown with Ohio State and Wisconsin, marking the school's first conference championship since 1990.</p><p>In a more immediate sense, the seventh-ranked Spartans won't be playing exactly where they want to be playing on Jan. 1. Wisconsin, a team Michigan State defeated, won the league's berth in the Rose Bowl by finishing higher in the Bowl Championship Series ratings. So instead of playing in Pasadena, Calif., the Spartans will be facing No. 15 Alabama in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.</p><p>“We're very, very excited about the opportunity to represent the Big Ten as the conference champion in the Capital One Bowl against Alabama,” said Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio on a teleconference Sunday. “Really for four years since coming into this program we've talked about becoming champions, and we are now to that point.</p><p>“We need to take the next step, and that next step is to play in a marquee game such as this and win that football game.”</p><p>Michigan State finished 6-7 last season, capped by a loss to Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl. The Spartans rolled through their 2010 schedule, defeating Notre Dame in overtime and notching wins over Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin. The lone loss came at the end of October at Iowa, by a 37-6 margin.</p><p>Dantonio, the Big Ten Coach of the Year for 2010, isn't worried that his team will be longing for Pasadena.</p><p>“We've come a long way,” Dantonio said. “We've had a storybook-type season. We've fought through some adversity, won some close games, we've come back, so we've done a lot of different things. We're an 11-1 football team, so where that takes us we'll go. The thing we want to make sure we understand as a football program is our No. 1 goal is to win the Big Ten championship. We were able to accomplish that.</p><p>“I feel like we're playing a championship-caliber football team. I feel like this is going to be a great matchup that's going to turn on TV sets all over the country.”</p><p>Dantonio, who coached under Alabama coach Nick Saban when Saban was head coach at Michigan State, doesn't sound daunted by the prospect of playing the defending national champion Crimson Tide, which comes in with a 9-3 record.</p><p>“I don't worry about the three games they lost,” Dantonio said. “I just hope we can make it four.</p><p>“Our players are very, very excited about this. ... This is a great challenge for our football team. This will be a national matchup.”</p><p>Dantonio and Saban have remained close. Dantonio has spoken at Alabama's coaching clinic, and Saban called the Michigan State coach in his hospital room after Dantonio suffered a heart attack following the overtime victory over Notre Dame in September.</p><p>“I talked to him when he had a little health issue at whatever point that was in the season,” Saban said. “He's a good friend, did a marvelous job for us (on Saban's staff at Michigan State) and has a wonderful family. ... It's just one of those colleagues in coaching that you have a tremendous amount of respect for.”</p><p>Dantonio missed one game after the coronary and another -- the victory over Wisconsin -- due to a blood clot, but was back on the sideline when Michigan State beat rival Michigan on Oct. 9. He said he is exercising and back on the recruiting trail.</p><p>“I eased myself in gradually,” he said. “My health is good.”</p><p>Dantonio and Michigan State aren't new to the Capital One Bowl. The Spartans played there at the end of the 2008 season, losing to Georgia 24-12 to finish 9-4.</p><p>“I think when we show up it's going to be like putting the key in the front door of your house, opening it up and very comfortable walking in,” Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. “We know the practice facilities, we're excited that we're the home team and very much looking forward to it.</p><p>“We brought 25,000 estimated fans down there two years ago, and we would anticipate that we're going to have numbers that equal or rival that this year.”</p><p>Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.</p>